Aventino Cucina
Italian restaurant · Bethesda ·
Roman cuisine, house-made pasta, gelato, spritzes & Negronis
Roman cuisine, house-made pasta, gelato, spritzes & Negronis
"One of the newest spots from Italian hitmaker Mike Friedman, known for Red Hen and All-Purpose, landed in Bethesda in January 2024 with dishes that evoke the longstanding culinary traditions of Rome and Italy’s Lazio region. The sprawling emerald- and gold-covered dining room transports diners with airy pizza rossa, light salads like the citrus and fennel-filled agrumi, and fantastic pastas that steal the show. House-made dried pastas make up classic Roman dishes, like creamy cacio e pepe and all’amatriciana zipped up with Calabrian chiles. But there are more experimental bowls on the menu as well, like a springtime toothsome cavatelli with a crushed broccoli and ricotta sauce and toasted almond-chile crunch on top. Don’t miss out on dessert options like a chocolate torte balanced with blood orange and earl grey gelato or affogato served with an Italian butter cookie and Madagascar vanilla gelato. Best for: A spritz-fueled happy hour, especially with spritz and pasta pairings for $22 from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the bar." - Tierney Plumb
"Chef Mike Friedman introduced Bethesda diners to authentic Roman cuisine last year with the arrival of 130-seat Aventino. Highlights include pizza rossa (a traditional flatbread topped with tomato conserva, sea salt, and Sicilian oregano), tonnarelli cacio e pepe, and rigatoni carbonara. A $30 weekday lunch deal features pasta and a glass of wine. Right next door AP Pizza Shop, Friedman’s casual offshoot of D.C.’s All-Purpose, he pays tribute to the NY and New Jersey pizzerias of his youth. Find slices, signature pizzas (including a mix-and-match option made of individual slices), focaccia sandwiches, eggplant Parmesan, Italian-American antipasti, and chopped and Caesar salads." - Claudia Rosenbaum
"Chef Mike Friedman’s Roman destination will have several specials available à la carte, for those dining out on 2024’s last day. The New Year’s Eve specials include a festive prosecco cocktail, oysters, the return of Friedman’s popular caviar-adorned maritozzi, and more alongside Aventino’s full dinner spread. Reservations are available now via Resy." - Vinciane Ngomsi
"The crowd favorite “Bene al Limone” at Aventino is made with rye, Strega, limoncello, lemon, and peach bitters. Definitely worth a trip to Bethesda." - Vinciane Ngomsi
"Does a power lunch include two glasses of wine? Aventino, a new Italian addition to Bethesda, unveiled a lunchtime pasta special ($30) in July that includes a pair of pours from the Lazio region and any lunch pasta, including ricotta-filled ravioli, spaghetti with Calabrian chile and guanciale, and a classic cacio e pepe. The special extends through the weekend as well, only shutting down lunch on Mondays." - Emily Venezky
